


Wish

by MissSunFlower94



Category: Maleficent (2014)
Genre: F/M, shameless fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 05:59:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2218425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSunFlower94/pseuds/MissSunFlower94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maleficent gives Diaval his freedom. He accepts. Drabble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wish

Maleficent had turned the words over in her mind a hundred times before she dared to speak them aloud. She waited until she was sure he had recovered from the assault he'd received from King Stefan's men. She waited until Aurora was safely established in the human kingdom, because certainly Diaval wouldn't want to go before she was. 

She waited, until she was sure of the right time to do this. To release him from her service.

And all Diaval had to say for himself was "Alright."

Alright.  _Alright_ , with the smallest shrug.  _Alright_ , after over sixteen years of being in her company.  _Alright_ , after raising Aurora.  _Alright_ , after everything they had been through.

Maleficent stared at her servant -  _former_  servant - in surprise. Truthfully, it hurt that he didn't seem at all torn about leaving her.  _Why should he be?_  She thought. She had indentured him, tied him to her side. Still, she had expected, oh, she didn't know.  _More_. 

It was wanting  _more_  that frightened her to begin with, but the lack of it hurt just the same.

Trying vainly not to let her emotions show, she nodded. "Well, then," she said briskly, raising her hand. The sooner she did this, the better. 

"Wait."

She froze at Diaval's words, spoken calmly, slowly. "Yes?"

"You're freeing me?"

"That is what I just said."

He nodded, ignoring the sarcasm. Still, thoughtful he said, "And, now that I'm free, if I still wished to see Aurora..."

 _Ah_. Of course, he would want to see his nestling. "You're free to go wherever you wish. You may see her as often as you would like."

"Alright." Maleficent raised her hand again, but he spoke up. "And-"

"What is it?" She hadn't meant to sound so impatient, but  _honestly_. This was hard enough without him prolonging it. She wished he would just let her let him go. 

Diaval's lips twitched slightly, with only irritated her more. "Should I wish to visit Aurora in this form?" Maleficent raised her eyebrows, and he shrugged. "I've grown accustomed to human speech and conversation."

She knew this, of course, it was one of the reasons she had kept him human more and more as the years had passed. Certainly at times he could be downright insufferable, but his conversation did entertain her in the long years when she had had no one else. 

Her heart contracted at the thought, and she spoke quickly, trying to ignore it. "I can... arrange it so you may have control of what forms you take." It wasn't an easy spell, but he deserved it after all he had given to her.

Now he did smile, smile with genuine happiness and Maleficent hated it and how her heart reacted. "Alright."

"Do you have any  _other_  concerns before I free you?" She asked, because she couldn't help it.

"I do, in fact," Diaval said, for all the world like they were holding any casual conversation. "For all that I love our little Aurora, I don't care for the palace much - never been one for stone walls. I'll visit her, but when I am not- should I wish to be-" here, he did falter, as he always did - even after sixteen years - when he was going to say something he didn't think she'd like.

"Out with it."

"Should I wish to spend my time here..."

Maleficent blinked, taken aback. At last she said. "You're free to go wherever you wish, spend your time wherever you would like to be. It is not my concern, any longer."

He laughed, a quiet rasping laugh. "Not your concern, who is by your side?"

She blinked again, before a wave of realization, and then relief, swept over her.  _Here_  was not the Moors, well, not specifically. Here was the place he had made his home. Here was with her. The stupid bird, the ridiculous man, had been leading to this the entire time. 

Looking at him, feeling a smile at her lips she simply said. "And what would you like me to say?"

He laughed again. "Oh, a great many things, mistress. But I would settle for 'you can stay'...?"

Shaking her head, Maleficent took her former servant's hand.

"Alright."


End file.
